Guns And Dolls
by Chicken Yuki
Summary: ForgetMeNot Valley welcomes two new residents: The antisocial federal agent Nami, and a Mafiaesque farmer named Nack. Chaos ensues as the Harvest Sprite Mob puts a hit on a troublesome Witch Princess, and Nack reunites with his beloved girlfriend.
1. Fate is a Lucky Lady

_Disclaimer: I do not own Natsume, or the rights to any Harvest Moon Games. Also note that this story is based off of the upcoming Nintendo DS Harvest Moon Game, NOT the Gamecube game, "A Wonderful Life", in case the setting of this story confuses you. Anyway, now you've been warned and informed._

**Prologue:**

**Fate Is A Lucky Lady**

Somewhere in the isolated country lands, a lone figure wanders the dirt road with a pack in hand.

This young traveler had short, boyish red hair with ice blue eyes that glared with great intensity. She wore an unbuttoned white and blue checkered shirt over a yellow shirt, along with white shorts and blue sneakers.

All the while, this traveler continued onward with a vengeful aura until she finally spotted her destination.

"Forget-Me-Not Valley..." she uttered in a low voice.

She then took out a wallet-sized photo of her with a young man with a brown ponytail.

Her eyes narrowed upon seeing it, filled with painful memories.

"A reliable source told me HE'D be here... so they BETTER be right, or they'll be hell to pay!" she thought to herself.

She then rested her gaze longingly upon the brown-haired man.

"Cliff, my old partner. It's been almost year since that bastard put you in a comma. We've been pursuing him forever, and when we finally corner him, he manages to best us. I swear it's going to be different, partner. This time, HE'S not getting away!"

Carefully, the traveler placed her treasured photo into a pocket and continued to follow the path that led to her destination.

"Now then, I suppose I should make the local Inn my first stop..."

Meanwhile, on the nearby shores, two young men navigated a speed boat towards Forget-Me-Not Valley as well.

One is a dark-skinned man wearing a purple bandana on his head. He was also garbed in a short white shirt under a violet vest along with some black shorts.

The other had a more conspicuous presence. He wore a dark purple fedora with matching buttoned blazer, tie, and pants. His youthful face was tainted with sinister black eyes and a menacing grin, which was topped by short, striking, platinum-blonde hair.

The man with the purple bandana faced his companion with a friendly smile, appearing completely oblivious of his ominous appearance.

"So, my friend, you must be the new farmer taking up residence in Forget-Me-Not Valley, huh?" he cried earnestly to the fancy-dressed man.

The platinum-blonde nodded his head. "I guess you could say that. I've been a little "overstressed" from my past occupation, that I figured I could turn a proffit by sellin' some produce." he called back.

"Really? You sound pretty confident in making a life in the country! But I guess most city folk sound that confident at first. For someone dressed as fancy as you, I would be especially worried for how long you'll hold out!" he warned.

The platinum blonde simply shrugged. "Ah, well... after you lived the kind of life I'm used to, livin' the quiet life actually sounds pretty nice for a change!" he cried with confidence.

The man with the purple bandana smiled. "Well, I admit that you have that positive, "go-getter" attitude people really admire! I'm starting to like you already, stranger!"

"Yknow what? I'm actually thinking the same thing about you, my friend! And you even have great taste in clothes! Perhaps this is could be the start of a beautiful friendship!" he grinned.

The mysterious platinum-blonde then fixed his eyes upon the land that's starting to come into view before him.

"Forget-Me-Not Valley... sweet! Livin' with a couple of country bumpkins who know nothin' about me will be thee perfect place to hide from the cops! To be honest, I gotta be really thankful for the little guys for finding this place to me! This could be my greatest hit yet! All I hafta do is find this "Witch Princess" terrorizing my little friends, and I'll be in business! In the mean time, I get to kick back and do a little gambling in their secret hideout! The only real setback is having to actually sow a few sides on the sides, just to keep the locals from getting on my case, but it shouldn't be that hard!" he thought to himself as he chuckled aloud.

He then faced his purple bandana buddy with his most friendly expression possible. "You know, pal, I actually have a friend or two hanging out in the little valley!" he cried.

"Really?"

"Yup! Some of them are a couple a misfits, but the one I'm really looking forward to see again is someone I share a history with. I haven't seen the broad in ages, but it's been too long since I laid eyes on her gorgeous blonde locks and her beautiful blue eyes. Ha! That dame really knew how to get a party started!" the platinum-blonde exclaimed.

"You mean Muffy? Yeah, I know her, and I can kind of understand where you're going with it. She's known for being the town flirt, and she really knows how to have fun! I didn't know she had a boyfriend!" the bandana man laughed.

"HAD? No way pal, she's STILL my gal no matter what she says! If she had nothing to say about me, then she had a good reason for it! But I NEVER EVER mistreated my darling doll, UNDERSTAND?" he cried in a semi-threatening tone.

The bandana man responded with roaring laughter. "Yeah! I gotcha!"

After the two continued their bonding moment by laughing up a storm together, a curious thought struck the fedora man.

"Say, friend! We've spent so much time together on this boat, yet we haven't had the pleasure of exchanging names! What's your's, buddy?" he asked.

"Kai!" he answered immediately. "How about you?"

The platinum-blonde man's grin widened considerably.

"Me? Well, my full name is Nicholas Nack Pattywack, but you can call "Nack!""

* * *

Right by the Goddess Pond of Forget-Me-Not Valley, one human-sized character faced off against numerous smaller figures.

The larger figure appeared to be a young woman with long, messy dirty blonde hair and mischievous ruby eyes. She wore a black cape held together by a small skull broach, along with a loose purple shirt with white and red lining, and a pair of black-tipped grey boots.

The smaller figures, on the other hand, wore equally tiny mono-colored business suits, which varied with each figure. The largest of them, which happened to be the size of a typical dwarf, had a gruff expression as well as an exclusive pair of black sunglasses, and a red business outfit.

"Yer gonna' get it for doin' our boss in!" The big red creature shouted!

The human-sized lady laughed.

" Hmph. Red Ribbon. I figured a toadie like you would be eager enough to take revenge first." She scoffed. "And I see you brought a few of your associates as well. Guess you're not the type to sent packing alone, huh?"

"Take that back!" Red Ribbon shouted. "Just admit it. We got you surrounded, 100 to 1. There's no you'll make it out alive if you resist! Now, just tell us how to get the boss back, or we'll forced to open fire!"

The young lady let out a maniacally amused laugh.

"Oh, come on. Even banded together like this, do you honestly think the power of your "little friends" is a match for mine? You're "boss" is supposed to be the one with the most power around, and I defeated her with mere "fluke" spell! What reason do you have to believe I'm not capable of more?" she bragged.

Red Ribbon shook violently. "You're so full of it, frikin' bi---"

"Red Ribbon, sir! I don't think she's going to bother complying to our demands…" a nervous creature in a silver suit interrupted nervously.

"YEAH! WE ALREADY GOT THAT A MINUTE AGO!" Red Ribbon shouted back. He then let out a low growl.

"Damn it all… this Witch Princess Punk sent our Boss to who-knows-where, and encased in stone, for cryin' out loud! No way she's going to willingly help us out, so our only option is to make her pay as compensation. The problem is… we haven't even seen what she can do." He thought in a panic.

A few moments later, a devious grin formed on his face.

"Well, at least we got the number advantage." He thought assuredly.

"Alright, you thugs! FIRE AT WILL!" He shouted as he pointed a finger at the confident woman, whom Red Ribbon identified as the Witch Princess.

Suddenly, magical flares emerged from all angles and headed straight towards the Witch Princess. All of the projectiles appeared to hit their mark; however, it turned out they all collided with a quickly-erected magical barrier.

The Witch Princess let out a loud cackle, shaking the confidence of the miniscule beings along with their tiny bodies.

"What? Is that all? What happened to Red Ribon's Almighty Bragging? Fine, it's my turn, now!" she declared.

"D-DON'T LET HER RETALIATE! RESUME FIRE!" Red Ribbon shout.

"Too bad…. Ora Anum Velos! BANISH!"

Another Magic field quickly enveloped the Witch Princess, however, this time, it extended at a miraculous rate to reach out to the creatures as well. All of began fleeing the vicinity in fear of being touched by the dark magic. Apparently, this made Red Ribbon furious at his followers.

"HEY!!! DON'T RUN AWAY YOU PUNKS!!! GET BACK HERE AND--- UWAA!!!"

As soon as the field made contact with Red Ribbon, a shock of magic ran down his body before he disappeared completely. Soon, the magic field caught up to the rest of the Ninety-Nine sprites, sending them to an unknown dimension.

With this triumph, the Witch Princess clicked her tongue at her defeated foes.

"Geez, I try to tell them it was just a simple mistake, but then they just get steamed and jump to conclusions by holding a vendetta against me! Well, that's what you get for associating with the incompetent Harvest Sprite Mob…" she said in disgust.

"Wait a minute. I only saw 100. Where was that Casino guy?" she said to herself curiously.

"Yo."

The Witch Princess sighed upon hearing the voice. She turned around while instinctively charging her magic at the same time, but when she saw who it was, the energy around her dissipated completely.

"Oh, it's just you." She groaned.

The young man standing before her had short, messy brown hair and stern grey eyes. He wore a fitting green t-shirt with blue jean shorts, some deep red sneakers, and a matching handkerchief around his neck.

"Seriously, Link. What brings you around these parts? With your parents gone and everything, I thought you'd go off and live your dream of being a Musician already." The Witch Princess remarked.

The young man passed for a second with a thoughtful look before answering.

"So… none of you heard? I sent a letter to the Lacreme residence saying I'll be helping out the rundown farm for awhile. I figured I could use the money, and helping out a familiar place wouldn't help." He explained.

"So… does this mean you'll be staying over at Old Man Takakura's for awhile?" the Witch Princess asked.

Link shook his head. "Nah… his place is too cramped. It's only fit for only one guy at a time. Besides, he wrote me back once saying the Inner Inn has good rates for rent and food, and I know he's pretty reliable when it comes to that sort of thing."

"Yeah, I suppose that Ruby knows how to treat her guests with hospitality." She mentioned. "But her good cheer really makes me sick! You know, you should really consider yourself lucky that I've decided to tolerate your "goodie-goodie" attitude breathing down my neck."

Link shrugged. "You're the one that decided to be friends with me." He reminded her.

"Ugh, don't remind me." She scoffed. "You just happen to be useful to me."

"…That's because I know what you're REALLY up to around here…." He answered back.

The Witch Princess' face turned red briefly for a moment, but it went away quickly.

"J-Just don't bring it up again, okay? It's bad enough that you found out by yourself…" she groaned.

"Fair enough." Link stated coolly. "Anyway, I should probably head out, now. I have somewhere I want to reach as soon as possible and I think I'm just wasting time now."

"Wait a minute… there's just no way this is about some farm, huh, Lover Boy?" The Witch Princess said with a smirk. "It's been awhile since you left your dear friend, Lumina… and you've been dying to return to her, haven't you?"

Link lowered is head and let out a huge breath.

"You shouldn't worry. She's grown to be quite the lady. I'm sure she'll be glad to see how you've changed over the years, too…" she teased.

"CUT IT OUT!" Link shouted back.

"Oh, don't be modest. It was all too amusingly obvious from the start." She smirked.

"It's not that funny…" Link growled.

"Right, right. You're not even sure if your little reunion will turn out so fine. You're worried you blew your chance, huh?" she added.

"Just Stop" Link answered sternly. "I've been having a rough time lately, so I'd rather not deal with this right now."

"Okay, okay, fine. Sheesh… you're no fun this way." She complained.

Link then let out a sigh of partial relief.

"You know, you've already caused so much trouble around this place with your antics. I'm afraid you've dug yourself into a pretty deep hole, now. I'm not sure how exactly you'll be able to get out of this one…" he reminded her.

"What? With the Harvest Sprites? Come on! Those guys are small fry! Besides… I only sent them away for a little "vacation!" They should be just fine!" the Witch Princess assured him.

"Yeah, but you did something to the Harvest Goddess to make them mad, right? I doubt this'll boil over that easily. I just know you're in for some bad karma." He warned her.

"Meh… you worry too much!" The Witch Princess said back.

Link shook his head in disgust. "Alright. If you see say so. Anyway, take care, Minerva. You better hope you're right about that." He sighed before taking off.

"Wh---HEY! DON'T CALL ME BY THAT NAME!!! I HATE IT!" she shouted.

"Man… why did I have to get stuck with such a stupid name like "Minerva"?" she grumbled to herself. "No wonder I was so desperate to strike out on my own. But now I'm stuck in some lame old shed while being harassed by an annoying Harvest Goddess and her crazed Pixie Mafia."

The young witch paused for a minute.

"Wait a minute. I already sent the Harvest Goddess packing, and there's only one measly Sprite Left. If I could take on a hundred of those midgets without a problem, then what's one more going to do to me?" she grinned.

She then let out one last evil cackle before taking off via her magical powers… but not before another, highly distinguishable sinister laugh resonated throughout the entire Valley.

At the beach, a fancy black shoe dug deep into the sand for its very first time…

_Author's Notes: …Crap… I had to write this out twice because I somehow deleted the first copy of this._

_Anyway, I ended up introducing a character earlier than planned, and this previously-extended chapter was somehow shortened to exclude the protagonist and his rival… and was longer then expected._

_With this out of the way, it's now official:_

"_Guns and Dolls" is back in action!_


	2. Vignettes of Country Living

**Chapter 1: Vignettes of Country Living**

"GREETINGS, FORGET-ME-NOT VALLEY! I'VE FINALLY ARRIVED!!!" Nack heartily cried as he took off his purple pimp cap and waved it in the air with vigor.

"You're certainly excited to be here." Kai grinned as he finally got his feet on land after the long trip by boat.

"Hell, man. It was a huge hassle just trying to make it all the way here. A guy deserves to celebrate, don't you think?" Nack answered back.

Kai nodded. " Yeah, I can kind of relate. I always travel around during the other three seasons, so it can be comforting to have a few places to call home."

"Heh… a whole new home out in the countryside like this…" Nack smirked. "I may still have a few jobs to take care of her, but I'm really looking forward to taking it easy for once! Running around in the city was always such a pain…"

"Then I'm sure you'll start loving life in the Valley soon enough. There's plenty of laid-back people like yourself running around, pursuing whatever interest pops up into their mind." Kai assured.

"Anyway, we've been on that boat forever. I could sure use some grub, so I'm going to fire up the grill and get to work on lunch. Are you in? My food stand isn't too far from here, and you're first meal will be my treat, just to allow you a fair sample."

Nack shook his head. "Nah, food sounds nice, but I'm after an even nicer meeting with my old gal."

"Oh, Right… Muffy. I understand." Kai grinned. "You should hope that someone didn't try and take advantage of your absence from her life, my friend. There are plenty of prospective bachelors running around here, especially that happy-go-lucky Rock fellow. He seems to have put much of his attention on her as of late."

"I wouldn't worry. If anyone dares try to take advantage of my gal like that, I have a way of taking care of them REAL good…" Nack said with a sadistic smirk.

"Hmmm… well, you do have a way to intimidate, I guess." Kai replied casually. "But… just don't go overboard, okay? We don't want the peace disturbed around here."

"Right, right. I wouldn't want to bring u_nwanted attention_ to myself, would I?" Nack said in a sly tone.

"That's the idea." Kai said.

"Well, it wouldn't be right for a gentleman to keep his lady waiting, you know. And it's been such a long wait, too." Nack grinned. "Later, pal! Let's share a drink or two when we have the chance, alright?"

"Wait! Are you seriously taking off by yourself? It's a pretty big place. You could get lost!" Kai cried out.

"I'm good. Got myself a map of the place from an associate with me, so I know exactly where I'm going." Nack said as he pulled an old piece of paper from his pocket.

"Okay then! Have fun, friend!" Kai cried back while waving.

Nack waved back briefly, then chuckled to himself.

"Oh, don't worry… I'm planning to have plenty of fun." He said to himself.

After making his way through some of the surrounding sights, he finally made his way to the humble shack that was the Blue Bar. Not wanting to waste any time, Nack simply barged in without even a knock.

"HEEELLLO, BLUE BAR! I WANT AN ORDER OF TWO OF YOUR FINEST DRINKS, MY PRETTY BAR MAID!" he shouted.

However, when the excited convict finally paid attention to his surroundings, he found it to be quite barren.

"Hey, now! Where the heck is that broad? This IS the bar she works at, right?" he complained aloud.

"Would this "broad" you're referring to happen to be Miss Muffy?" a voice from back called out.

"That is correct, my man! But seriously… what is wrong with this place? Bars are supposed to be places to drink and have fun, right? Why isn't there anybody serving up the drinks around here? Hell, why isn't my darling doll offering service here?"

"Hmm… so, you must be the boyfriend from the city Miss Muffy's been talkin' about all the while." The voice answered.

Suddenly, an older man came out from the backroom. He had brown hair that extended outward a bit, and was also tied in a ponytail at the back. He wore a slightly unbuttoned white and orange cowboy shirt and silver necklace, along with some dark jeans and deep brown cowboy boots. In his grasp was a white acoustic guitar.

"That's right." Nack said firmly. "I've heard all about the appeal she's brought to this place, but her love of flirting doesn't give anybody else an excuse to enjoy her company freely except me, got it?"

"Don't worry. Miss Muffy's just enjoying her putting folks at ease around here. There hasn't been too big of a fuss concerning her." The man assured him. "But I'm sorry to tell you… the Bar isn't open until 5:00 at night, and Miss Muffy went off to a local town to shop. She won't be back for quite sometime."

Nack clicked his tongue at this sudden bit of info. "Really, now? That's just too bad. I was looking forward to the perfect welcoming party, too…"

"Yup. You'll just have to wait for awhile until you can start enjoying yourself around here." The ma answered.

"Well, since you're here at least, Bartender, can I have a drink anyway? I have some Gold ready, so you don't have to worry about avoiding payment." Nack mentioned.

"Nope. Sorry, Slick. You'll just have to wait until opening time like everyone else. It's a matter of retaining policy, you understand?" the man explained.

Nack let out an agitated growl. "Eh, Damn… whatever. If there's nothing to do here, I'll just settle in my new pad for now."

The proprietor looked at Nack curiously. "New Residence, you say? So you're not here just to drop by to see Miss Muffy?" he asked.

Nack chuckled aloud in amusement. He then pointed a thumb at his smug grin. "No way, Bartender. You happen to be looking at this Valley's new residential farmer, Nack!" He boasted with unusual pride.

The bartender looked completely dumbstruck. "…a city boy… like you… a farmer? You look too accustomed to the city luxuries to be comfortable around these parts." He noted, paying close attention to Nack's conspicuous attire.

"Hey, now. I wouldn't be judging so easily. My gal Muffy used to be part of the city, too, but it seems to be she's done just fine around here." Nack retorted.

"Yeah, I guess you have a point there, stranger…" the Bartender said thoughtfully.

"That's right!" Nack grinned. "So you'll just have to stand back while a make a living here! With a nice gal like Muffy around, and a bar like this to drink the night away, this place'll be home to me in no time!"

"Don't forget the farming, though. That's your new job here, isn't it?" the Bartender reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah. That and a few other things, but I don't wanna waste my time in a closed bar." Nack claimed.

"Suit yourself, son…" the Bartender said with a shrug.

Apparently, the aspiring farmer left Blue Bar without even bothering to get the Bartender's name.

"…that's one interesting character…" the Bartender said. "He's definitely as lively as Miss Muffy claimed, that's for sure…"

Sometime after Nack left for his new farm, Nami headed in towards the Inner Inn for her own purposes.

"…Inner Inn…" Nami muttered to herself meaningfully. "They better have some info here. A shady-looking guy in purple city clothes would definitely get attention around here…"

Nami entered into a spacious reception room, with a fairly short and stout woman with shoulder-length black hair and beady eyes. She wore a simple domestic outfit consisting of a yellow shirt and red dress draped over with a flowery yellow apron.

"Well, hello there, stranger! " the friendly woman cried. "Welcome to the Inner Inn! Will you be staying with us this evening?"

Nami paused momentarily with a serious gaze.

"… I'm looking Information…" she said coolly.

"Really? About what? Are you interested in a recent guest?" the woman called the hostess asked.

"…Possibly. I'm looking for a man named Nicholas Pattywack. He's known otherwise as "Purple Ferret" to others because of his particular taste in purple clothes and his vicious grin. He has short, platinum blonde hair and sharp black eyes. Have you seen anyone like that around? I suspect he may have been in the valley recently."

"Nope, sorry. Haven't seen a fellow like that around here. Is he a friend of yours?" the hostess asked innocently.

Immediately, Nami slammed her fists on the desk in front of the curious Innkeeper.

"NO!!! That man is DANGEROUS! He's a criminal wanted by over thirty states for armed robbery and assault! He's a ruthless thief as well as one of the Mafia's top hit men! Damn it! The man already killed the Innkeeper and his daughter back in Mineral Town! Nobody found the bodies or any proof that he did it, but I know his handiwork! There's no doubt it was his doing!" she shouted.

Ruby looked at her in shock and surprise. "O-oh… I'm sorry, uh… well, either way, I still have not seen such a man. But, this sounds like a grave concern, so I should probably let the others know right away and find out." She answered apologetically. "In the mean time, are you interested in staying for a night or two? Or maybe even enjoy a meal here? I take great pride in my cooking."

Nami nodded silently.

"Er… alright then. Here's the menu. What'll it be?"

Nami snatched the menu swiftly from the hostess' grasp, and scanned the list of foods in little time.

"I'll have a bowl of shrimp curry and cup of grape juice." She ordered specifically.

"Coming right up, miss!" the innkeeper chimed. "By the way… for whom am I making this meal for?"

Nami sighed. "…my name is Nami Granger, an officer for the FBI, but this is only for your eyes and ears only, understand?" she stated firmly as she whipped out a badge from her shirt pocket as proof.

The innkeeper nodded slowly. "…and my name is Ruby. It's a pleasure meeting you!" she said with a shaky voice. "…Your meal should be done in about twenty minutes. Please wait until then."

With that said, Ruby walked nervously towards the kitchen door on the right and closed it carefully.

Again, Nami slammed the desk.

"Damn it, Pattywack! You already wen too far when you took out my Partner Cliff! But then you had to go and take out his girlfriend Ann, too?! I swear I'll make you pay for ALL OF IT!!!" she growled.

For some reason, a familiar tiny creature happened to be listening to everything from the outside.

"Oh crap! The detective's here! I gotta warn that guy!" it cried as it scurried off in a hurry.


	3. The New Job

**The New Job**

After a bit of pacing, Nack finally reached his new farm, along with his new home… only to find the fields a mess, and lacking any animal sheds.

The uncanny delinquent was obviously not very happy.

"What's the deal with this craphole? Do they expect me to fix entire place by myself? He shouted. "I'm pretty sure they knew someone was taking over this place. Guess they weren't expecting the new owner to claim his land so soon…"

His eyes then narrowed with exposed veins as he slowly took out two submachine guns from his blazer. "Because if they only expected to pull a fast one over, they've got another thing coming…" he growled.

Suddenly, the farm echoed with roaring laughter and jeering.

"Oh, man! Whatever sucker agreed to take over this junk heap is in for it, big time!" a mocking voice cried.

Somewhere near a small house and stable, a small figure was rolling around the floor, overcome with laughter. Unfortunately for the mysterious character, it was unexpectedly seized by the neck in a swift fashion.

"….Mayor Thomas…" a familiar agitated voice snarled.

"Eh… hey! It's the "Purple Ferret!" L-long time no see!" the figure said back in a shaky voice.

Apparently, the previously unknown figure turned out to be a political-like short man in a red coat and matching top hat. He had curly brown hair that when down to his neck, but his hat hit a miraculously huge bald spot. His large round nose also had a noticeable black mustache underneath.

"Cut the crap, Thommy-boy. What the hell are you doing around here? Shouldn't you be covering my ass back in Mineral Town like we agreed upon?" Nack growled.

"H-hey… I'm just as surprised seeing you here!" Mayor Thomas cried back in defense. "I didn't expect someone as well known as you in the underworld to show his face in some humble town out in the country like this! I mean, sure there's the Villa west of here, but there's plenty of places to go around pulling a heist, right?"

Out of rage, Nack forced Mayor Thomas' back onto the wall, while still holding him by his collar. "My stay here is NONE of your business, pal! Besides, wasn't our little deal, clear? The Mob supplies you with the political funds and support to keep you your power and luxuries in your dinky town, and in turn, you help us out with your "official influence" WITHOUT QUESTIONING OUR MOTIVES." He spelled out clearly.

"Besides, I'm not about to ruin a perfectly good relationship with the esteemed Lacreme family. It wouldn't be right to rip off Madame Romana, who commands the proper respect of a "Don", now would it?" Nack hissed.

Mayor Thomas' eyes widened in shock. "Oh my…. You mean Ms. Romana is also involved with….? I'm so sorry, I didn't even know!"

"Because that's supposed to be a well-kept secret, ya moron!" Nack barked. "I only told you this to clarify…"

Mayor Thomas shook in terror.

"Now, ya mention any of this, along with any other word about us, I'll be sure to have you next in the hit list, you got me?" he threatened..

Mayor Thomas gulped. "Y-yes… I u-understand…" he stuttered.

"Good. And don't call me "Purple Ferret" anymore. I go by "Nack" now. Besides, my middle name always sounded much cooler than that crazy nickname." Nack complained.

Mayor Thomas nodded slowly.

"Now, go on and get outta my sight! Your pathetic presence here makes me sick!" he shouted.

Out of sheer fear, the Mayor started fleeing from the farm, only to be cut off by a droopy-eared dog.

"Oh, hello, little fellow! Have you come to greet your mayor?" he asked cheerfully as he knelt down to pick it up.

However, the dog responded by jumping back, quickly moving to the Mayor's backside, and chomping down hard on his exposed bottom.

"GYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!" The Mayor yelped.

Despite the disgust Nack felt for knowing Mayor Thomas was still present on his new farm, the maniacal man smirked in sadistic amusement to see the Mayor suffering from a relentless butt bite.

"UWAAAAH! HELP ME!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!!!" Mayor Thomas cried.

But Nack just stood there and shook his head while clicking his tongue. "No way. I heard how you mocked my new living situation, so now you're facing punishment. Just be thankful it was a bite to the ass rather than a cap to your head." He cried back with his usual sinister smirk.

"Wh-what? He's new farmer?" Mayor Thomas thought in his brief second of pain-free horror before suffering overwhelmed his conscious once more.

The poor Mayor was then forced to leave the farm with flailing arms, and a persistent dog attached to his bottom.

Nack chuckled to himself. "Now that's one nasty little scamp. He must me the stray that those Harvest Sprites told me about. They'll likely be expecting me to take care of it from now on, even with this crappy farm I have to run. Guess I'll have to name it when I have the chance…"

With the Mayor finally out of his hair, Nack was just about to head inside and check out his new home when a tiny sprite with a black vest and purple visor ran into him.

Nack felt the creature crash into his leg and looked down to meet it.

"Well now… if it isn't my old pal, Roller. So, are you supposed to be my contact?" he asked curiously.

"…No. Jackie was supposed to meet you as soon as you reached the farm, but something occurred. Anyway, we got a new situation on our hands, Nack!" the dealer-resembling sprite cried.

"So? What could be more important than that hit you put out?" Nack asked. "I told you I'd just do you this one favor, and then I'd just retire out here! I felt like the cops have been breathing down my back forever and---

"Listen, man! It's one of the feds! They're here, and they're after you!" Roller shouted.

"WHAT?!" Nack shouted back.

"And, man oh man… it was some red-head broad… and she looked really pissed for some reason." Roller panicked.

A fancy shoe was firmly planted merely an inch from the poor sprite.

"Damn! It's that Nami chick"! Nack cursed. "How the hell did she catch onto my trail so quickly?!"

"Alright… I don't know what your history is with her, but you better cover yourself, soon! She's occupied herself at the Inn right now, but I'm not sure how long it will be until she searches the entire Valley for your hide!" Roller panicked.

Nack growled viciously at the prospect of having to encounter one of his most unforgiving pursuers in the worst possible time of his life.

"Fine! We're taking our conference inside! I can't afford to be spotted like this in broad daylight in my usual digs." He growled while snatching up his associate and slamming the door behind him.

To his amazement, the humble housing was spacious enough, and it already provided a bed, bookshelf, and tool box for his convenience.

"Alright, now. Before Nami sniffs me out, tell me about this new target I'm supposed to take care of!" Nack demaned.

Roller gulped. "O-okay… the hit we put out… is on a sneaky broad known to us as the Witch Princess. Us of the Harvest Sprite Mob want payback… big time… for offing our boss…" he explained.

"The Harvest Goddess?" Nack asked dubiously. "You mean that dame that's supposed to be… you know… some omnipotent being or something? But she's supposed to be the boss of all bosses! The Grandest of Godmothers! How could she have been done in by some Pansy Princess?"

"We don't understand it either, but she did, and now the Mob is left without our highest chain of command. But apparently, Red Ribbon was just as doubtful as you were, and sent the entire squad to gun her down. Oh man, that was a disaster…" Roller said in horror.

Nack shook his head in disbelief. "That moron Red Ribbon always liked to rush things. You know, I'm actually surprised that sorry lummox even survived as long as he did."

"Well, he did it, and now the fact is you're our only hope of avenging the boss." Roller sighed.

Nack stared off in thought before nodding in confirmation.

"Alright then. Looks like I'm dealing with a tough job this time around, but all that means is that I'll have to go all out." He said coolly.

His eyes then became huge and bloodshot, while his vicious smile seemed to sprout monstrous fangs. "This should be fun…" he voiced with anticipation.

"I'm glad to here it! Now, I'm still not sure where the Witch Princess hangs out, but you better take her out before that fed finds you! I can already tell she'll be big trouble for us!" Roller cried.

"Right…" Nack answered. "I might as well try and make myself one of the locals, soon. This farming stuff's going to be a pain, especially with the crappy field I've been given, but at least it'll serve as the perfect cover. Nami's pretty sharp, but it's going to take her awhile to properly accuse a small town farmer to be some big name crook from the city." He said with a sly grin.

"Just don't get cocky and let us down, Nack. Red Ribbon made that very mistake and nearly costed us the entire Mob." Roller warned before using some magic dust to disappear.

"Well then, I suppose I should ditch these threads for something fit to farm, huh? There should be some new clothes in the closet." Nack said to himself as he head towards a door on the right.

Upon opening it, Nack spotted a white worker's shirt along with some black shorts and some black cleats.

"Yeah… that'll do." He said with satisfaction.

Just as the eager hetman began his wardrobe change, a few subtle footsteps were coming from the rooftop…

_Author's Notes: For those of you Female Harvest-holics out there, I have a feeling you'll be in for a real treat for an upcoming Chapter... I wasn't sure what to make of this guy at first, but after finding he wasn't an OC, and considering the occupation, I just HAD to add this character into the story. And, hey… if you don't mind a little edge added to a character, then there's a good chance you'll fall hard for the badass nature I have in mind for him. But, it does make sense, after all. This guy and Nack happen to be…_

_I'll stop there._

_Anyway, you'll have to wait a bit._

_Why?_

_Well, first if all. Is anybody even really READING this? Man, reviews for my stories are slow as of late. You'll just have face punishment for not responding fast enough Secondly, that's just the way it is. It builds tension, and…. I really want to go back to another focal character beforehand._

…_in any case, if I'm still getting no response for this fic, then these notes are useless. It'll just mean that the readers might not end up experiencing the awesomeness of this beloved new character._

…_That'll be a big shame…_


	4. House Of the Godmother

**House Of the Godmother**

As the day wore on, a stressed young lady sat impatiently on a sofa situated neatly by a coffee table.

This girl had short brown hair topped with a yellow hair band. She also had somber, chocolate brown eyes. She wore a white turtleneck shirt underneath a neat green dress and an orange cloth tied around her neck.

"Link…" uttered with a distraught sigh. "You said you'd come back today. Where are you?"

Standing close by her was an old woman with big white hair. She also had small, beady black eyes covered by a pair of golden glasses, a long pointed noise, and an crescent shaped face. She wore a white, long-sleeved shirt with a loon blue dress and a blue cloth adorned with a green leaf pattern around her neck.

"Lumina dear, how long are you going to stay about on that couch? Do you really expect that boy to come by today?" The lady asked.

"Ugh... Grandma! Could you please give it a rest? You never seem to complain whenever I'm at the piano all day, but then you have to make it one big fuss once it's about a boy?" Lumina griped. "I happen to recall that he was an honest person from the last time he came over to the valley, so I'm certain he'll keep his word!"

"...Lumina, it's been a very long time since before. I also remember how kind he was to people, and how much fun the two of you used to have together, but he's been far away and out on his own for a while. He had plenty of time to change, with hormones and everything. There's always a chance that he's just trying to romance you from afar just to brag to his "guys". You can never really tell..." Lumina's Grandma warned.

"Grandma! You're always so cynical about this! Can't you at least trust my judgment this once?" Lumina cried.

Her Grandmother sighed. "...You've already been hurt by a cruel fate from before. I... just don't want to see you hurt again, Lumina dear."

Lumina narrowed her eyes and lowered her head to avert a piercing gaze. "...Then why are you so strict on me? That isn't really helping out my mood in any way..."

Suddenly, an erect elderly butler entered the reception room. He had on a colonial-era style white wig, and had very squinty eyes. He wore a buttoned white dress shirt underneath a well-knit green sweater vest and bowtie, along with black dress pants and polished brown shoes.

"Pardon my sudden interruptions, Madame Romana and Miss Lumina, but a guest has just arrived." the butler announced.

Lumina looked up with great hope, while her Grandmother Romana had a skeptical look.

"You know, there's a good chance it could be the new farmer also. I heard for cetain that he would be arriving around this time." Romana mentioned. "Go ahead and let him in, Sebastian."

"Very well then, Madame Romana..." the butler replied.

He then opened the door behind him, allowing their visitor to come through.

The young man walked in slowly while curiously looking around the room with a solemn glance, until he spotted Madame Romana and her precious granddaughter.

"...Lumina?" he uttered in an uncertain tone.

"Link?" the young lady cried in a more emotional tone.

The young man blinked his grey eyes in disbelief. Standing right before him was a grown lady that was only vaguely familiar in appearance compared to the spirited little girl he remembered from the past. Gone were her usual long hair and tomboyish clothes, for she had become a woman who possessed uncanny grace and patience. Still, there was a recognizable twinkle in her eyes that kept him from any further doubt.

To Lumina, the young man was simply a grown up version of the boy she once had fun with. His style of hair and choice of clothes remained largely unchanged; however, there was an aura about him that suggested an inner chance about him. She wasn't sure if this was a sign of maturity, or a drastically different outlook for him but she strongly felt that his kind quality never left him.

Happy beyond belief, Lumina rushed towards Link and wrapped her arms around him, feeling as she did so long ago.

"Link! You're actually back!" Lumina cried with joy. "Even with all those letters you've sent me, I couldn't help but miss seeing you..."

Link's face reddened slightly. "...Lumina... you've definitely grown." he said with a soft chuckle.

He used his right arm to maneuver it behind Lumina's back and bring their embrace closer.

"Minerva wasn't kidding. She has changed quite a bit since I last saw her. She was always cute before, but now she's... beautiful..." he thought to himself.

While looking fondly into her old friend's eyes, Lumina still could not get rid of the distant feeling he seemed to possessed.

"Link, did something happen while you were away?" Lumina asked with concern. "I don't why, but there just seems something... off with you right now."

Link looked back at her with widened eyes for a brief moment, but he regained his composure quickly.

"Really? I wasn't aware of that. I'm sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable." he replied with a friendly smile.

"...I see she's grown perceptive, too." he thought to himself.

Lumina then held Link even closer, making him blush even more.

"Well then, whatever it may be, I hope I can help you out, somehow..." she said with a bright smile.

Both Link and Romana glared at this affectionate act, while Sebastian retained

"...Wait. Does she actually feel that way about me?" Link thought in a curious panic.

"What's she doing?" Romana thought with mixed emotions.

"...Eh... I guess you can start off by playing a song for me on that piano." he suggested with a hint of nervousness.

"A song on the piano?" Lumina repeated curiously.

Link nodded. "Don't you remember? I always used to come over here whenever you were in the middle of playing. Even if you were just practicing scales and all, it was always relaxing just to here you play."

"Oh." Lumina said simply.

She remembered all those times she dreaded having to practice that accursed instrument under her Grandmother's watchful eyes; however, it was always different whenever she found herself alone with boy Link, being able to play whatever her heart desired. Things got especially interesting once Link took interest in the guitar, and they had plenty of playful duets together.

"Alright then, I guess I can do that for you." Lumina said with her smile intact as she let go of Link.

"That's a fine decision." Romana said with strong approval. "This should give me another opportunity to evaluate your performance and---"

"I'm sorry if I sand harsh for asking this, Grandma, but do you mind if this session was just between the two of us? I... don't want my concentration to be affected by too much of an audience." Lumina asked hopefully.

"What? Are you serious? Do you really expect me to be able to leave you alone like that? Sure, it was fine when Mary comes along to be with you, but... it just isn't okay we haven't known for so long!" Romana complained.

"Uh... that's okay. Sebastian can stay behind. I'm sure he's reliable." Link casually suggested.

"Oh, no. That's quite alright. I'm sure a simple moment between the two of them will be just fine!" Sebastian said with the utmost confidence.

The other three stared at Sebastian with disbelief, making him feel a bit shaky about his proposition.

"Sebastian! I can't believe what you're saying!" Romana cried.

Link and Lumina simply continued to glare at Sebastian like he lost his mind.

"Madame Romana. They're just childhood friends who want to catch up with lost time. Would it really be taboo to allow a simple relationship such as theirs to continue? Besides, I highly doubt something of "explicit" concern will likely occur with a song or two. You're well aware of Lumina's playing practices." Sebastian stated, trying not to sound too frank in the process.

Romana groaned. "Fine, very well then. But I really don't want to see or hear any "hanky panky" between you, understand?" she warned.

Both Lumina and Link responded with a simple nod in nervous unison.

The lady of the manor then made her way towards the center room.

"I'll go ahead and prepare some food for the afternoon, then." Sebastian said with a grin.

Afterwards, the affable butler head straight to a door on the far left corner in a hurried fashion, while Romana witnessed the entire scene with this belief.

"Well then, have fun you two." Romana said in irritation before finally entering her bedroom at the center, and closing the door in a near slam.

"...I'd probably die of embarrassment before trying anything like that..." Link and Lumina thought in unison.

With the tension in the room finally released, Lumina walked straight towards the piano until she finally sat down upon its accompanying rest.

"So then, what request do you have for me?" Lumina asked with an encouraging smile.

Link thought for a bit. "...Being on the road for awhile, I've actually started taking a keen interest on a later genre. How about something along the lines of Soft Jazz?" he asked.

Lumina nodded. "Oh, good. I know the perfect song, then!"

She then curled up her fingers in preparation for her playing. "I used to hear this song often on an old record player. It's called "Marine Jazz". I don't have a musical sheet for it, but I can try to do it by ear.."

Link grinned and nodded. "Go on..."

Lumina nodded back, and then faced her piano with closed eyes. After a few moments of concentration, she began pushing down on the keys.

Each note seemed to come out in a seemingly broken rhythm at first, but as the flow of music started coming together, a beautiful, relaxing melody was produced. Its appeal was unique and distinct, but that same appeal was undeniable.

Link's smile widened as he let accepted the free-flowing melody and saw how happy Lumina was with her work. He then felt his heart skip a beat right before nodding to himself.

_"Lumina... are you still curious about what the world has to offer?"_

_Author's Notes: Yes, "Marine Jazz" is my favorite record song. I guess I'm trying to make it up to Lumina here with this alternate existence and giving her a love interest… who was originally inspired by my AWL son, Link._

_I actually had a previous love complication story called "My Lady Lumina", which a first person tale of the Farmer's Son contemplating over asking her to join him on a journey to leave Forget-Me-Not Valley, and maybe even confess his love, despite a reasonably impossible relationship. It's almost like the tables have turned… except it skipped a generation in this case. Consider it an event that occurred after "Between Maidens", because it involves most of the same characters. I apologize of it's "creepy romance", but you know, it happens… no, not an older woman and younger man thing necessarily. I mean having feelings for an older person… and I'm not implying they WILL get together in that way…_

_That aside, Nack and Whatsisname are coming up next!! CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?!?!?!_

… _Seriously. Female Harvest-Holics. This is the part you should be squealing with delight if you figure it out. Reviewers are welcome to guess.._

_Random Fact: For some reason, I imagine Japanese Seiyuu Hikaru Midorikawa doing the voice of the upcoming character…_


	5. Reunion

**_Disclaimer:_** _Anything concerning Music Titles, Spells, or whatever is connected to the Ancestry of Nack and the Mystery Character are properties of Sting from a video game called "Yggdra Union." Everything else is Natsume's except this story and Nack, which belong solely to me._**  
**

**Reunion**

Sometime after getting a hold of his new work clothes, Nack quickly changed into them and put away his usual clothes away from view.

The new farmer strut around his home for awhile to check out its mobility and comfort. Finally, he went into a dynamic pose with his thumbs up.

"Aw yeah! This works just fine! I bet I look good it in, too!" he beamed.

With his attire finally changed, Nack's attention turned to the toolbox.

"Right. I should probably get myself some tools for the long haul. Dunno what exactly farmers need to grow veggies except a watering can. I think they used tractors, too, but no one seems to be into cars and stuff around here." He said to himself.

Nack practically leapt towards the tool box before diving in.

"Oh, sweet! They have a sickle and axe here! Don't get how I'll be planting crops with these babies, but I could definitely put them to my personal use." He said with grimn satisfaction.

Meanwhile, a mysterious voice from started to chant in a whisper:

_"O angel, deprived of light and wings…_

_Let thy misery cage mine enemy---_

_Gravity Chaos…"_

Soon, a surge of energy encircled Nack's location, which he nimbly leapt away from. However, the deadly field remained and roared, slowly crushing the toolbox.

In his now vigilant state, Nack desperately searched the house for the source of that attack. Sensing a presence, he immediately pulled out two sub-machine guns from seemingly out of nowhere and fired above him. A round of bullets collided with the ceiling, but his target escaped the attack with formidable speed. It was then that the assailant revealed himself when he landed directly in front of Nack with the skill of a cat.

"Hmph… I wasn't expecting to see you for a long time." Nack grinned.

The young man in front of him had shiny, shoulder-length silver hair with sharp aqua eyes. He wore a stylish cow print shirt with a silver dog tag over a black top. He also wore eerily familiar dark purple pants, some cow print socks, and polished black shoes.

The stranger grinned back. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting you to be out in the country like this. What are you even doing here?" he asked.

Nack lowered his head while bearing a wider smirk that seemed to bare fangs. "Why, it's business as usual…"

The stranger sighed. "And that pretty much means you're trying to off someone in the Valley by request, huh?"

The stranger then took a few paces forward with a contemplative look on his face. After tapping his foot in frustration, he shot Nack a bitter glare.

"You know, it was always that whole "murder" aspect that turned me off with the Mafia." He said in deep disgust.

"And that's pretty much why the guys always considered you sentimental failure, my brother Steiner…" Nack remarked.

The mysterious young man shook his head. "There's no need to call a "failure" like me your brother anymore. I'm pretty sure that we've established the fact that I've left that pitiful family behind long ago. Besides, I always thought a full name like "Steiner Pattywack" cramped my style."

"It still doesn't change the fact that the same blood runs through our veins. Awareness of Magic, the Lineage of the Silver Wolf and all that. Of course, why you always had better luck with the ladies is something I never understood." Nack mused.

"I don't know. Maybe I just happen to be the more charismatic one?" he suggested half-seriously.

Apparently, Nack wasn't hit too hard with that comment.

"I wouldn't joke about such things." Nack replied.

The disguised hit man then scanned his brother warily.

"So then… how is that family treasure you stole from us, doing? Is it still in good condition?" Nack asked with a scowl.

"Actually, that old trinket serves me well. I've managed to make far more uses for it than what you would come up with." Steiner taunted.

Nack scoffed. "That wasn't very nice." He remarked while preparing his trigger finger.

"Yeah. But I suppose if you want to see it again, I can do you that favor." Steiner grinned.

As if by magic, the silver-haired stranger pulled out large, crescent-shaped blade out of thin air. Nack grew furious upon seeing the imposing weapon.

"…Silver Moon! So you DID bring it with you!" Nack shouted violently.

"Yep… the very same blade used by our common ancestor, Milanor the Silver Wolf. I still remember the stories about how he used this thing on raids against rival thieves and the occasional pesky Empire, but I figured an artifact like this needs a break from that sort of bloodshed every once in awhile. Of course, if it means ridding the world of a psycho like you, I'll be more than happy to put it to good use." Steiner said.

The stealthy young man raised his free hand to snap his fingers. Suddenly, a record player at the corner of the moon started playing some fast-paced music that was heavy on electric guitar and synthesizer effects. The spinning record was labeled "Milanor Sortie".

He then held out the impressive weapon in front of him, as if implying a charge. Steiner took a few swift steps forward, but not before his movements were intercepted by a few blazing bullets. But Steiner simply darted away and continued the charge. Nack reacted quickly by pointing a sub-machine gun towards Steiner's new direction and fired again, but Steiner simply evaded that with equal ease. The aqua-eyed assailant continued zigzagging and running circles around Nack's round of fire effortlessly.

"Aw, SCREW IT!" Nack shouted as he chucked his sub-machine guns in yet another missed attempt to gun down his brother.

However, Steiner grinned as he saw this chance to end the fight. He immediately lifted himself of the ground, raising Silver Moon right above his head to bring it straight down on Nack, but the hetman's quick reflexes kicked in as he deflected the attack with his newly-acquired axe.

"You know, I ALWAYS hate it when my precious toys are deprived of a kill!" Nack snarled.

The two brothers' weapons were locked in a struggle for a few moments, until Nack managed to knock him back with the axe.

"But hell, I guess these new farmer tools aren't so bad, after all." Nack smirked. "Looks like I found my first set of chopping material…"

Cool and confident as ever, Steiner simply replied with a silent nod. The subtle brother attempted to round Nack and take him down from the back, but Nack was all too aware of this strategy. He withdrew his axe momentarily and took out his sickle with sick pleasure in his eyes. As Steiner ran circles around him once more, Nack took once step back and swung his sickle with precision, forcing Steiner to escape his target's radius. Nack then went on the offense as he ran at Steiner with sickle in hand, and ready to strike. Finally, Nack swing hard and fast to the right, but Steiner quickly put up his blade and deflected the sickle swing. He then pushed off the sickle and prepared to retaliate, but Nack parried just as quickly. The manic hit man once again forced his brother away, and followed up by taking a swing at his head, but Steiner managed an impressive limbo-style dodge. Steiner then kicked away the sickle from Nack's grasp, and stood upright to take down his unarmed foe. Nack saw this coming, and clasped both hands on the incoming crescent blade. With great effort, the hit man managed to push back Silver Moon to avoid execution. Steiner made yet another swing at Nack, but the lively hit man responded by front flipping high over Steiner's head and landing cleanly on both feet. The former "Purple Ferret" grinned viciously as he again took out his axe to continue the fight.

For a little while, the two brothers' weapons continual clashed and exchanged blows. Neither of them was about give up. Their strong drives to kill each other kept them at the peak of their battle performance. Eventually, both of them began to tire from their seemingly-endless stalemate. They ended up standing right in front of each other with heavy breathing and readied weapons.

Nack lacked in maniacal amusement. "Funny… I didn't know some petty thief could fight like that." He remarked.

"That's odd. I wasn't aware that a blood thirsty hit man would ever consider settling down." Steiner said back.

Despite their overwhelming fatigue, both combatants were still quite wary and kept their guards up. After spending some time catching their breaths, Steiner decided to relax his stance and positioned his weapon like a standing prop.

"You know… I've been scouting this whole house the entire time we've been fighting, and I realized that there isn't a single thing worth stealing around here! Why should I bother sticking around if it'll just be an ultimate waste of time?" Steiner asked his brother.

Nack laughed in amusement. "Feh. The typical logic of a thief. You're just too much of a coward to continue this fight, aren't you?" he taunted.

Steiner shrugged. "Honestly, when I heard someone from the city would be taking over this dump, I would've thought some careless fool with valuables would be stopping by. But hey, if I was fortunate enough to deal with a new lady farmer, I would be having plenty of fun right now. Apparently, it had to be YOU of all people."

Nack laughed again. "You really suck at flattery, you know that?" he replied.

Steiner laughed back. "What can I say? I'm more used to pleasing the ladies than complementing family."

Afterwards, the thief's eyes wandered around the house while he kept a tight grip on his weapon. He shook is head in disgust.

"Man, this place is just too cramped for a proper fight, don't you think? Personally, I'd prefer more space for a clash this epic." Steiner suggested.

"So then, you're backing out for real?" Nack asked in frustration.

"…For now. At least until we meet in a more appropriate place to settle this." Steiner grinned. "The longer I stay around this dump, the longer some well-deserved home will be left untouched."

"Hmph. That's a shame to turn tail so soon, just to pursue a few measly thefts." Nack said in a low voice.

Slowly and subtlety, the frustrated hit man slipped his hand in a pocket.

"It certainly is. I'm looking forward to ending our fight real soon, though." Steiner replied.

The slick thief turned his back towards his brother while contemplating a sneaky way to escape, while Nack quickly pulled something out of his pocket.

"So do I…" Nack uttered in a growl.

In an instant, Nack fired his secret handgun right at Steiner's head; however, the cunning thief escaped in a flash, and the music that once played out for their struggle became silent. Nack carefully searched the area in case Steiner was still around, but he was no where in sight. Out of anger, Nack chucked the handgun right in front him.

For a long time, the house remained eerily silent as Nack simply stood motionless. His head was lowered with an upset scowl and his long bangs hid his bloodshot eyes.

The silence eventually broke when Nack threw his head up with loud , malicious laughter.

"….so now I know. Steiner's here. That just means I have more to look forward around here." Nack stated in sadistic pleasure.

The devilish delinquent let out another fit of disturbing laughter which echoed throughout the entire farm.

_Author's Notes: Steiner's premiere--- you gotta love it. :)_

_ "Dakara, omae wa Steiner. Wakata?" (By the way, my name is Steiner. Got it?)_

_ Yeah. I can imagine Hikaru Midorikawa doing his voice. I think it would match his badass look perfectly. The guy's done plenty of characters that were fun loving or cold and serious. If you don't know what I'm talking about, reffer to the Japanese voices of characters like Slayers' Zelgadis, Gundam Wing's Heero Yuy, or Fushigi Yugi's Tamahome. _

_  
If you don't know Anime, forgive me for blathering on about jiberish. And Rock, forgive me for taking your job of being the community's buffoon._

_  
Anyway. I heard Steiner had this ability to freeze people or ability, and I thought there was a technique from Yggdra Union that was the perfect equivalent: The Curse-causing "Gravity Chaos." Since Steiner and Nack possess magical awareness, I decided to give Steiner that Special Attack as an explanation of how exactly he can freeze others.  
_

_Well, yeah. Enough Steiner commentary. The next update will spell some things out on my plans for this story. What does that mean? Wait and see... _


	6. Setback

**Setback**

"AGH! I can't believe it! Nothing! I still have nothing! After all of this investigating and interrogating, I STILL have nothing! The Purple Ferret SHOULD be here! My sources are rarely off, but I was certain… AH!" Nami shouted while pacing about in her nice new Inn room.

The red-head agent was in one of her recently common fits of anger. She had just gone through inquiring many of the local villagers for the whereabouts of her intended target with little luck. She even checked out a few of the houses just in case he might be hiding, but to no avail.

Nami went through a few of her inquisitions in her mind.

_"Uh… sorry, no gangsters here. We've had a pretty peaceful living her for quite a while now. How about checking the city?_

_"Well, I don't believe we've had any strangers of that sort come along. But I do know we're supposed to have a new farmer arrive today. Do you happen to be the new farmer?"_

_"I'm afraid not, lass. How about you, brother?"_

_"Nope, not me. Too busy tinkering around to notice, though."_

_"Right! Right! I'm the same way!"_

_"HAHAHAHAHA!!"_

_"Nope, no Mafia man. But we have run into the occasional thief running around. I believe his name his Steiner. He's an odd one, though, because people claim he can use ancient magic. Kinda funny, huh?"_

_"Hmmm…. Interesting. I've seen many things around here: A Goddess, An ancient princess, some sprites, a fuzzy white guy, and even a witch. Haven't seen a Big City Mafia man around, though. And Miss Agent, if you're also here to arrest me for excessive drug usage, you've got the wrong guy… it's a shame this world ain't open-minded enough to accept all the possibilities."_

Nami sighed thinking about the last. "That guy HAS to be lying about drug usage… but, since this place allows it, I can't exactly take him in. Besides, petty cases aren't for my department."

She then shook her head. "Bah, Steiner. He sounds too sleek to be a pseudonym for Nicholas Pattywack. Besides, the psycho is too boisterous and proud of his work to disguise himself. And considering his wild strike, the guy wouldn't even consider settling down for unexciting farm work. Still, it would be worth my time checking out that abandoned farm." She said aloud." Come to think of it, I also haven't seen this laboratory of this supposed mad scientist and the exalted Lacreme Villa. Though accessing the later thoroughly might prove to be difficult."

As she continued pondering over her investigation, a cell phone rang right on top of the bed. Nami rushed over to pick up the dark blue cell phone and pushed the talk button immediately.

"Hello?" Nami answered in a surprisingly calm tone.

"Inspector Granger?" a polished, deep voice answered on the other end.

"…Alex?" Nami cried back.

"Good to hear you're still up and about." The voice going by Alex said. "So, how goes the investigation on Pattywack? Has your lead been correct?"

"So far, I've got nothing except news of a phantom thief and a delusional hippie." Nami sighed. "There's also claims a new farmer that's supposed to arrive today, but it doesn't sound like our man. I don't take him as the type to get into agriculture."

"Hmm… well, maybe you should check it out, anyway. I assume no one has really met this farmer yet, so you never know." Alex suggested. "Anyway, since you're at Forget-Me-Not Valley, I've called to inform you about another case. Apparently, some visitors have claimed suspicious activity has been going on in the laboratory of reputed eccentric scientist, Daryl Longing. It seems the man keeps most people out of the facilities, but those who have reported a locked trapdoor that is always locked. Some have claimed they heard unseal voices. Our department believes it to be a possible kidnapping for the purposes of human testing, but we haven't found the convenient means to send someone else over. Luckily, we caught of your investigation, so it'll be up to you."

"What? Another case, right now? But what about Pattywack?" Nami shouted.

"I'm afraid you'll have to forego that investigation for now. Besides, you have plenty of time for that, I assume. For now, checking out the Laboratory comes first." Alex instructed.

"Fine. I'll take it. Not like I have much of a choice at the moment." Nami sighed.

"Very good." Alex replied. "And Inspector Granger? I may have said this many times over, do not allow Cliff's death to distract you, especially when dealing with Pattywack. It could lead to your end as well when you least suspect it."

Nami sighed long and hard.

"Got it." She said irritably.

"Good. Now get to work, Inspector" Alex ordered.

"Yes, sir." Nami groaned.

The disgruntled red-head hung up her phone and placed it in a pocket. She left the room immediately and headed downstairs."

"Oh, hello again, Welcomed Guest! So, are you ready to order lunch now? You've been upstairs for a very long time since you got back from touring the valley."

"Nope, sorry. I'm heading out again." Nami replied coolly before exiting the Inn.

"Hm. Well, that's a shame. You have quite a taste." Ruby said aloud while fiddling with a ladle.


	7. Unexpected Consequences

**Unexpected Circumstances**

Moments later, Nami arrived at the laboratory. Outside, it was buzzing with electricity and crammed with exotic instruments. Out of courtesy, the red-headed inspector knocked on the door, but no response. She then tried turning the knob. The knob was loose for some reason, so she pushed it opened.

"Funny. For a paranoid scientist, this Daryl guy is very careless." Nami said to herself.

Inside, she found the laboratory to be filled with many beakers and test tubes in a disorganized manner, along with a blackboard and a bunch of random posters.

"Well, one thing's clear: The guy can't clean after himself. Though I guess I'm not one to judge." Nami said with a groan. "Aside from the usual chemicals and junk Scientists carry around, I don't see anything suspicious so far. Guess I better search for that supposed trap door."

For awhile, she dug through the big mess. Eventually, she came across a steel trapdoor.

"This has got to be it! Alright, then…"

Nami braced herself as she tried to open the trap door with full strength.

"Ugh! Man, this IS locked shut! Fine, I'm not exactly proud of my strength to begin with. I feel strange having to act like a thief, but I guess it's my only option."

Nami got out a Swiss army knife while searching for a lock. After spotting it, she used a lock pick from the tool set and started picking at the lock. After a few moments, she finally got it loose and removed it, placing it in clear sight for later. Nami then slowly opened the door, revealing a set of stairs. The curious inspector shrugged as she ventured further into the laboratory.

As she walked down the long flight of stairs, Nami started hearing playful humming.

"That voice… it sounds like a girl's voice! Well, that's a shame. For a minute, I was thinking Pattywack might've been hiding down here, but most females aren't exactly this relaxed around that madman." Nami thought to herself.

After finally reaching the bottom, Nami found the underground room to be surprisingly well-kept. Instead of finding signs of malevolent experimentation, she found what looked more like a living room with steel tiles.

"Hmm… a neatly-placed bookshelf, a bed, and a kitchen? Is THIS where Daryl spends the night? But it's… so unbelievably clean compared to upstairs! Does he have a secret housewife hanging out around here?" Nami asked herself.

Suddenly, she heard a frantic splash. Nami turned her head to an area next to the kitchen to find a bathtub, some more kitchen tools, and a nervous looking young lady with short green hair and big midnight blue eyes. She also wore what appeared to be pink coral hair clips in her hair.

"A girl? Is she---"

"S-s-s-s-s-stay away!!!" The girl shrieked.

"No, don't panic. Everything is okay. I'm Inspector Nami Granger, an FBI agent. I came here under orders to check for a kidnapping, so don't worry. I'm here to get you out nice and safe…" Nami told her gently in an attempt to calm her down.

"N-no… stay away." The girl cried.

Nami looked at her with pitying eyes. "Poor girl. She must be so paranoid after being held against her will in such a strange place for so long." She thought to herself.

The desperate investigator decided to waste no time.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, kid, but I promise you'll thank me later." Nami said.

She proceeded to scoop up the girl out of the tub and looked frantically for a cloth to wrap her up in.

"It would be a bad idea to take get you out of here butt naked, so---"

"Let go of me, human!" The girl said while slapping her away.

"Hey! Stop that kid, I'm trying to save--- WHAT THE?!"

Nami's jaw looked unhinged as she saw the girl from the waste down with what appeared to be an orange fish tail.

At this point, both females glared at each other while shaking wildly.

"No… this is just… this can't be right. What did Daryl do this girl?" Nami thought in horror.

"Listen, I'm not sure what this crazy scientist has done, but I swear to you that he's going to pay for---"

"That nice man did nothing to me!" The girl shouted angrily at her.

Nami felt rather awkward with the girl's conviction.

"Uh… you don't happen to be an experiment he created then---"

"No! I was born this way by natural causes and proud of it!" the girl cried.

Nami left speechless at this point.

The two ladies exchanged awkward glances once more.

"Should I… should I trust this human? It seemed like she was genuinely trying to help me as soon as she saw me, but… I can tell she broke in. Daryl's almost never around at this time, and he never arranged me to meet anybody today. But she's so confused right now." The fin girl thought to herself.

"Born this way? Naturally? I don't get it! Is this creepy experiment's mind warped? But she doesn't seem to see Daryl as a Father. So then, are the MORE of her outside of here?" Nami thought in panic.

"Maybe… I should explain." The girl spoke reluctant. "I normally don't trust humans, but… I have this feeling you're a good person."

"You… you called me a "human" just now, didn't you? If you claim to be born naturally, and are offended at being considered an experiment, what are you supposed to be anyway?" Nami asked.

"Truthfully, I'm… a mermaid. Kind of like in those "fantasy" books Daryl showed me. He said in your surface world that we're "mystical creatures"." The girl answered.

"Mer…maid?" Nami barely uttered.

The girl nodded slowly.

"Oh… right. Why didn't that come to me sooner? Now that I think of it, mermaids are supposed to be half-human half-fish, with the human half being on the top. I mean, it would be silly to see the upper body of a fish with the legs of a human, wouldn't it?" Nami thought to herself.

"I wasn't born from anything Daryl has done. I… was washed ashore here. My original home is in the ocean with my sister Shayla and my Mommy." She explained. "Don't you dare say anything else mean about Daryl! He's a nice man!"

"Uh… right, sure." Nami said hesitantly.

"I mean it!" The girl shouted.

"Maybe… I should meet Daryl face to face. I mean, I can't really say anything about this whole incident, but I should probably get my own feel of the man." Nami thought.

"Fine, fine! I won't!" Nami cried back before sighing.

The inspector inhaled a few more breaths while the mermaid stared at her curiously.

"You said your name was Nami… right? I already told you about my family and stuff, so I guess I should start introducing myself. Right…" The nervous mermaid uttered. "M-my name is Leia Emelone, nice to meet you."

"Same here." Nami said with a surprising smile. "By the way, how DID you get washed ashore here?"

"Oh, that." Leia said with a shaky voice. "Actually, it was a storm. A violent one. In fact, so violent, it felt almost unnatural…"

"Really? Unnatural?" Nami repeated.

She then started looking around the lab for something suspicious.

"Maybe this Daryl still might pose a threat. It's possible he could've developed weather or wind machine and use it in some generic plot to rule the world, or get revenge of some jerks who picked on him, or something typical." Nami thought to herself.

"You needn't searched." Leia uttered. "I wasn't so trustworthy of him myself when I first awoke here, so I snooped around here myself. I'm not TOO familiar with surface world dwellings, but there wasn't anything around capable of commanding the tides, except a contraption he called fan, but it's far too weak. Besides, I already know what caused it. My family warned me of a Witch that dwelled in a valley. This must be that valley, so…"

"A witch? Again? Huh, that hippie Gustafa said something about seeing a witch around here. I know the guy is likely to be running around huffed up on something, but maybe he wasn't dreaming up the witch stuff… maybe." Nami speculated.

"It's true! Back home, our family has a bunch of history books that speak of the infamous Witch Princess and her longtime rivalry with another being called the Harvest Goddess! I know it may sound a little off to you, but a lot of the stuff you consider fantasy is confirmed fact to us mermaids!" Leia argued.

Nami sighed as she looked at her finned friend. "Well, having my arguer as a mermaid certainly blows much of reality out of the water." She thought to herself.

"So, you say this Witch Princess conjured the storm?" Nami asked.

"YES! It had to be her! The Witch Princess is said to cause trickery and misfortune with her incredible power for amusement! This is no doubt her work!" Leia cried.

Nami shrugged. "I really don't know what to say. This whole mermaid thing is still a shock to me. I mean, this Witch Princess sounds like trouble, but… I don't know. Has she caused any direct trouble to the village warranting criminal activity?" she asked.

"Not that I know of. Unfortunately, I've been down here so long without outside contact, so I'm not the best person to ask. However, Daryl did say the "ecosystem" or something has been faring relatively poorly as of late, whatever that means. Maybe the Witch Princess did something to upset the balance of Nature." Leia answered.

"Sorry about this, but I really can't look into this any further with that sort of vagueness about it. By the way, I'm after a criminal known as Nicholas Pattywack, otherwise known as the "Purple Ferret". He's a standoffish young man about yay high and with platinum hair and dark. Murderous and wears purple all over. Ever seen waltz around here?" Nami asked.

Leia shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I've seen a thief named Steiner secretly sneak around here once, who had platinum hair, but he had aqua eyes and was very discreet. I only caught him walking about because I was very quiet as well."

"Thanks, anyway." Nami said.

"Hmm…. Well, this Steiner guy kinda sounds like Nack. And he's a thief, to boot. They don't seem like the same person, but… could they be connected, even related somehow?" Nami thought to herself.

"So, uh… are you sure you want to be left here? I mean, it must seem pretty cramped compared to the ocean, and I'm sure Daryl will understand if you left a note about going back, assuming that he's the nice guy you say he is." Nami said.

"He IS a nice guy!" Leia insisted. "And, no… I don't know the safest way back to the Ocean yet. Besides, I… I still need some recovery time, and it would be nice if I could better know this place while I'm here."

"Hmm… well, that's bold of you. Okay, I guess I'll come back here every once in awhile to see how you're doing. If you're ever bothered or harassed in any way, I'll be here to get you out, alright?" Nami said.

"Don't worry. I know Daryl isn't someone to do harmful things, but thanks for the offer" Leia grinned back.

Nami nodded back, and headed towards the stairs.

"Umm…. Can you please promise not to tell any other human about me being here? I'm still anxious about meeting more humans, and I'm still quite afraid…. So…"

"I understand." Nami replied. "Although the guys in charge of me will be curious about this, I promise you that we'll keep your secret safe." She said.

"Thank you again." Leia said in deep gratitude.

Not a moment too soon, Nami rushed up the stairs. Apparently, the upstairs was a little darker than from earlier. It turned out that that nightnime has just about come.

"Oh, great. I've been out and about for THAT long?" Nami said to herself.

Suddenly, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Nami quickly whipped it out.

"Alex?" Nami said in her cell phone.

"Good Afternoon, Inspector Granger. So, how did the search go? Did you find any illegal activity?" Alex asked.

"No, sorry. I just came back from the secret locked door, and I apparently found something…. Unsual." Nami answered.

"Unusual?" Alex asked. "Is it something beyond human comprehension? An unusual scientific creation or monstrosity?"

"Umm….. it's… hard to say." Nami answered back hestiantly.

"Oh, I see. Is it of the "fantasy" sort?" Alex asked.

"WHAT?" Nami exclaimed.

"Can Alex read my mind or something? I swear, maybe micro-camera on me or something. He knows too much for one not observing my movements." Nami thought to herself.

"Well, one of the supposed witnesses claimed they saw what appeared to be a mermaid loitering about, but he thought it was a dream or chemical-based hallucination so---"

"Leia already nearly blew her cover once?" Nami thought.

"You said he saw what looked like a MERMAID? Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Nami exclaimed.

"Honestly, you did seem like the skeptic type… for anything "magical". Truth be told, we get a few actual cases like this on a regular basis. Of course, we only offer these as "special cases' for those who can keep it under wraps. So then, can I trust you with the same obligation then? If you believe me and have indeed found a mermaid back there?"Alex asked.

Nami paused for a long time before being able to give her answer.

"Sure." She answered simply.

"Not like anybody else would believe me, anyway." She thought to herself.

"Good. So, was it---"

"Yes it was. A Green-haired one with an orange tail." Nami answered awkwardly.

"I see… so, did this mermaid happen to mention how she was brought there?" Alex asked.

"Yes. She said she was swept away in a storm, and that she was safely brought to the lab by the scientist in question. She claims that a "Witch Princess" had somehow caused it." Nami informed her boss.

"Witch Princess? And you said she has the ability to create storms?" Alex asked.

"Er… yes. The mermaid claimed she does for "fun", it seems." Nami confirmed.

"…That certainly sounds like trouble. Perhaps you would like to investigate this further? She does fit in with the Lab Mystery case you've just performed. Alex said.

"Yeah, sorry about that, but I don't think I can handle it. If Mermaids and faeries and pixies are real, witches sound like big trouble. I don't know a THING about this magic stuff, and I doubt a bucket of water will make this Princess melt." Nami admitted.

"I see… Very well, you are dismissed on that matter for now, then. In the mean time, you may continue your pursuit of Pattywack if you wish." Alex said.

"Well, that's nice, I guess." Nami replied in relief. "Wait a minute, you weren't playing with me with all this fantasy stuff, are you? Do you think everyone connected to the case is losing their mind or something? Don't lie to me!"

"No, of course not. It would be wrong to simply write it off as a mental irregularity. As I said, we've had a long history concerning such cases, but I can see you're not quite ready to handle that sort of information." Alex said in a very serious voice. "Anyway, I suggest you go rest up for now. You sound very stressed, Inspector Granger."

Nami sighed. "Fine, fine! I'll do that! Inspector Granger Out." She said before hanging up.

The disoriented agent placed the phone in her pocket once again before placing the lock right back on the trap door. She then walked towards the exit and opened up, noticing a starry night sky.

"Well, it's nighttime now. Maybe I should check out that Bar to relax with a drink. The sign did say they should be open about now." She said to herself.

And so, Nami casually left the laboratory as she headed straight for Blue Bar.


	8. Casino Afternoon

**Casino Afternoon**

Being the laidback man that he was, Nack decided to take a light nap after having a battle royal with his brother. After relaxing in his soft bed for an hour or so, the ex-hit man let out a long yawn. He then quickly leapt out of bed to enjoy the rest of his day.

"Alright, I'm sure some time has passed while I was out. Maybe that darling broad Muffy's already made it back?" Nack muttered to himself.

He quickly checked the window eagerly, only to be disappointed by the remaining sunlight.

"Damn, it's still too early. By the way the sun is, I'd say it's about 2:00 P.M now. Well, nothing to do but stay around until the Red-head decides to investigate this place, then I'll have to split for a bit." Nack said bitterly.

The platinum-blonde farmer folded his arms and tapped his food impatiently for awhile. He continued staring at the sky, waiting for night to arrive. He then started gritting his teeth.

"Damn I miss my old card games! If there's anything I loved as much as heists, hits, and that sweat broad that didn't get me in trouble with the feds, it would be good old cards! Lady Luck always enjoyed snuffing out the cheaters and tricksters for me. I think she loved me so much, no wonder the old gang used to tell me to quit the mob life to become a professional gambling! Eh, too bad I'm one of the Most Wanted now, but….nah, cards are only great as a hobby, not as a living." Nack said to himself with sigh.

The potential gambling man then laid his but down with his legs crossed as he fiddled around with an index finger.

"Yeah, this is dull… how about Steiner come back and I teach that bastard a thing or two about family?" he said to himself hopefully.

A few moments later, an ecstatic Roller barged into the farm, which was an amazing feet considering his small size.

"Yo, Nack!" Roller cried. "Looks like I got a bit of good news to spill!"

Nack scoffed. "Heh. Really, what's got you all chipper, my little friend? I'll be happy if my darling doll decided to make an early return." He replied.

"Well, no… but it turns out some of the mob escaped the Witch's spell on their own as well, and are doin' well! I saw them myself while scoping out the Valley for that fed!" Roller answered.

Nack cocked an eyebrow.

"Really? That's good. Guess I got a few more allies to help gun 'er down, afterall!" Nack grinned.

"Uh, sorry to say, but they're not exactly one of our best marksmen…" Roller confessed nervously.

"WHAT?! Gee, then what are you all worked out for? If all you rounded up are a bunch of two-bit bench warmers, they're just gonna get blasted by that Bitch like would have earlier! They won't be of use in the hit!" Nack shouted.

"No sweat, my man! They weren't even meant for bang-ups to begin with! They're my… "associates", if you get what I'm sayin'." Roller answered casually.

"No, I don't. What do you mean?" Nack wanted to know.

Roller smiled wildly. "Really? I would've figured my classic visor would be a dead giveaway, and as seeing that I run the underground casino around here, who else would I be running a business with?"

Nack paused for a minute.

"Hold on a sec, you found your fellow dealers?" Nack asked.

Roller nodded. "Yeah, like I told ya earlier, they weren't so keen on shooting, but they certainly know how to deal and flee with the best em'. Let me tall ya how much of a relief it was to find em'! I would've thought I'd be playing Solitaire for the rest of my life!"

"Aw, sweet! I can finally enjoy my old card games like back in the city!" Nack grinned.

"Good to see you still got that same spirit for the regular card games. Guess this means the Casino's back up and running." Roller grinned.

"So, what are you waiting for? Let's get a move on it! I'm sure I can avoid a little red-head cop long enough to see this Casino of yours!" Nack said self assurance.

Immediately, the two of them left the farmland and headed straight for town. Both gangsters surveyed the area for any sign of the red-haired federal agent and were relieved to see nobody like that.

"So, uh… these boys of yours. Are they still playin' a little hide-and-seek around the valley?" Nack asked.

Roller shook his head. "Told them all to gather at one place. They should still be hanging around the well where I left them." He explained.

"That's good. No worries about being spotted by that meddlesome fed while wandering around aimlessly for the boys." Nack smirked. "Just hope they can keep themselves afloat for a little while longer"

Roller chuckled.

A few moments later, Nack and Roller passed by the Blue Bar and approached the aforementioned well.

Nack gave a little tap on the well and looked inside. He heard some mysterious chatter for a bit, then the area became surrounded by magic dust. Three Harvest Sprites, bearing a striking resemblance to Roller, appeared before his very eyes.

"Wow, Roller. Didn't know you got twins." Nack quipped.

"Nah! It's just a coincidence! Working in the same business with the same people for awhile tends to force this kinda similarity between you." Roller explained. "Anyway, meet the Mob's prized dealers: Tep, Hops, and Jum. They can shuffle a deck like nobody's business."

"You're that confident in them, eh? Can't wait to outdo the entire house." Nack smirked.

"So… this be the infamous hit man you've been bragging about all the time? Can't wait to see him in action." The sprite named Hops smirked.

"They say the hand is quicker than the eye, but let's see what you got. No one in the whole Mob has yet to outdo me in at my game." The dealer named Jum bragged.

"Alright. Let's see if Lady Luck's got your back." The Dealer named Tep uttered coolly.

Nack smirked back.

"Yep. You got quite an interesting group backing you up here." Nack said.

Roller nodded. "They're not considered among the best for nothing. Anyway, let's head back to the Hangout."

Nack clapped his hands. "Finally!"

The five mobsters left the well and followed a path leading towards Goddess Pond. The sprites twitched while Nack observed the scenery curiously.

"So, this is where the action took place, huh? Nothing looks scratched up, though." Nack mentioned.

"That's because it's magic, and we're the "Harvest" Sprite Mob. Alongside causing havoc to the local urban areas, we have to go by our boss' word keep nature in check for bountiful harvests and stuff. It's an odd gig for a gangster, I know, but you decided to take up the Farming position when you heard about the hit. I know it's silly of me to ask, but you DID use that just for a cover, right?"

Nack remained silent. He had a considerably solemn expression on his face.

"Oh, uh… not going to answer? Well, fine by me! As long as we gun down that Witch and get revenge for the boys!" Roller cried. "Anyway, our hangout's just over yonder. See that big tree?"

Nack turned his head to spot a lone tree with a big door right in front. He then pointed at the door with his thumb.

"Hey, uh… no offense, Roller, but you got a door in front of your tree. Don't you think that just maybe people would notice that?" he pointed out.

"Ah, don't worry about it! Only the "Magically-Inclined" can see that big door out in front, and luckily, since you just happen to be part of the club, it looks like you get that free trip through the Chocolate Factory, kid." Roller explained.

"Heh. Can't wait to check out all that candy." Nack answered with an eager smirk.

Nack slowly sauntered towards the door and grasped the knob. He swiftly pushed it open to reveal the Mob's cozy tree hideout.

"What's this? The place looks nice enough, but it seems rather… cramped, if you catch my drift." Nack replied.

"Nah, this is just the living quarters, and in case you didn't notice, us Harvest Sprites aren't exactly giants." Roller replied.

"Yeah!" The three dealers replied in bitter unison.

"Whoops. 'scuse for that little slip." Nack apologized. "But seriously… do you expect us to play some cards here?"

"No! No! No! Our Casino's out in the back! And trust me, it's much nicer this room! You'll love it in no time!" Roller assured him. "Just follow me a little further, okay?"

"Okay, okay. You better be right. You've been bragging like it's best place around, and I don't like being disappointed." Nack groaned.

Roller lead the gangsters into a doorway, which revealed a snazzy casino room decked out in green. While it was considerably small in comparison to most casinos, it was very spacious as a casino built for one.

Immediately, the three dealers took their tables while Roller stayed behind.

"Alright, before you get going, I'm just going to explain the system here. You can't use flat out gold in your bets. Instead, you use these babies instead." Roller explained as he took out a few shiny medals. "Here, I'll give a few to start out with."

Nack accepted the shiny objects with a confused look on his face. "What do I with these? Can I redeem them for cash like poker chips?"

Roller rubbed his head nervously. "Eh… we're not exactly in the position to fork over gold without the boss' request, so now, sorry. However, you CAN redeem them for some neat prizes we've… "confiscated." He said in a shaky voice.

""Neat Prizes", huh? By the sound of your voice, they don't' sound all that great for me." Nack replied.

Roller gulped nervously. He wasn't sure just how unpleased his hired gun was.

But then Nack used his free hand to pet him.

"Ah, it's alright… I haven't had this kind of thrill in ages! Later, how about we see what we can do about changing gold payment in the casinos!" Nack cried heartily.

Roller wiped his brow in relief.

"Well, for now, I got me some cards to play. Alright, LET'S GET IT ON!" Nack cried.

And so, Nack proceeded to bring forth his Dynasty of Fortune against the House of Harvest Sprite Casino.

The talented gambler began his conquest in a Memory Pair Matching Game against Jum. Nack crushed him so many times in such relative ease, it was as if he had either psychic powers or a photographic memory.

After getting bored with repeatedly defeating Jum, Nack took his hand at Blackjack, and old favorite of his. While he rarely got a good pair, Nack seemed to know what to bet at which moment. Most of the time, the skilled card player ended up betting little on his bad hands, but when he got the proper Blackjack pair or any other decent set of cards, Nack always managed to bet big and score even higher. Miraculously, he never received a cards that resulted in a bust, a set of cards that went over the value of 21. Despite his great gain, Nack felt frustrated at his lowered odds and resulted and held a hidden handgun point blank at Jum's head.

"You don't happen to be trying to cheat me, do you?" Nack threatened.

"Ah...n-no! Trust me, I got a good shuffle, but I'm not trying to pull anything! H-honest!" Jum replied in a shaky voice.

"That better be the case. I don't like someone cheating Lady Luck and putting the odds in their favor. She don't like that sort of crap." Nack said before putting the gun back in his hidden holster.

"R-right…" Jum gulped.

"Alright, guess I'm done here. Don't know why Blackjack isn't liking me, but Iguess that just means I should be looking forward to some good old fashioned Poker!" Nack exclaimed.

He quickly abandoned the Black Jack table with his earnings, leaving its dealer relieved, and quickly hopped aboard the Table next door.

"So, it's just the two of us, then?" Nack asked while facing Teps.

The professional-like dealer nodded. "Think you can beat me?"

Nack groaned. "Oh, come on! Don't be a wimp and let everybody else out of the fun! We got a few more prospective players around here! Not like they have anything else to do! One-on-One Poker isn't fun!" He complained.

The ears of the other two dealers perked up.

Roller left his station to meet with the excitable hit man.

"What? Are you serious? You do realize that it'll be four representing the house against one of you, right?" Roller pointed out.

Nack replied with a hearty laugh.

"So what? Bring it on! I've already beat your boys by themselves once. Now I wanna do it all at once! Besides, I haven't seen you play a game. How about it?" Nack proposed.

Roller shrugged. "Alright, but you're really pressing your luck here."

Nack smirked. "It's what I do best."

Soon enough, the five took their seats and begun their session of poker. Miraculously, Nack repeated his lucky streak but claiming pot after pot. Not only did he cash in with superior hands, he also bluffed his way to the top while holding the bad ones. Certainly, it was Nack's day in the Casino.

Plenty of time passed, and soon sunlight started to fade outside.

"Hey guys, I think been awhile now. You think it's 5:00 already?" Nack asked while hoarding his piles of medals.

The dealers groaned in disgust while Roller turned to a nearby clock. "Five to, actually. Why?"

"Oh, that's perfect!" Nack cheered. "I happen to have a reunion to make at about 5:00. Sorry to leave you guys hanging, but I gotta split!"

The winning card player immediately got up, fixed up his pile of shiny medals, and shoved them towards Roller's direction before he rushed out.

"A reunion?" Tep replied.

Roller shrugged. "Looks like the man's really eager to see his gal." He grinned.

He then magically conjured a big bag and placed the shiny medals in it.

"I admit, the guy's got balls for trusting me with his earnings. Still, it's Casion Policy that I hold on to them, anyway." Roller said, as he went off towards the mystery location of the "Shiny Medal Bank" while leaving behind three amazed, yet frustrated dealers.


	9. Joyous Reunion

**Joyous Reunion… And The Rest**

"Griffin! I'm here to check in!" A feminine voice cried from outside the Blue Bar.

"Oh, Muffy! I reckon that's you? Alright, good timing. How about you get to the counter right away?" The owner of the bar cried back.

"Okay!" the feminine voice replied.

The door knob slowly pushed open, revealing a cheerful young lady with long flowing blonde hair and bright emerald eyes.

She wore a soft, baby blue jacket over a haughty red dress, along with a pair of black high heels and a matching black head band.

The fair lady hummed pleasantly as she headed calmly towards the counter.

"By the way…" the bar owner named Griffin added, "Some lively city boy with platinum blonde hair asked for you while the place was still closed. Do you know anyone like that?"

"Oh, really?" The barmaid called Muffy replied in a pleasant tone. "Then I guess he's already here."

"Yup, I don't know exactly the relationship between you two, but apparently, this city boy you recognize also happens to be the farmer around here. Sounds like it'll trouble if you ask me…" Griffin said.

"Trust me, I know all the details." Muffy said, brimming with even more joy than ever before.

"Hm… it seems like there's a lot you haven't been telling me." Griffin said in vague disappointment.

"Hey, a girl's allowed to keep her secrets, even if it's from a good friend!" Muffy retorted.

"Right, right… I guess there's still a whole lot I don't know about you, but you've been a great help to the bar, so I'm not complaining. Still, that city boy was rather unusual… in a vicious way I couldn't quite point out." Griffin admitted.

"Oh, really? I actually think that's one of the qualities that I find attractive." Muffy grinned.

Griffin shook his head.

"Seriously. Muffy, I worry about you sometimes." He sighed.

The chipper blonde simply giggled.

Five Minutes passed since the official opening time of the Blue Bar, and no customers came.

After Griffin finally finished up wiping a few glasses to sparkly condition, he took his white acoustic guitar in his grasp and started playing a melody. At the same time, Muffy gazed outside of the window with a soft expression.

"To be honest… I've never quite felt this exact way in a long time. I feel really happy, yet very anxious at the same time. I don't understand why I like this feeling so much, but I know it's a special feeling, somehow." Muffy thought to herself.

Five more minutes, and still nobody showed up.

Griffin was still going at it with the guitar, while Muffy rested her head on the counter, staring into space.

"Where… is he?" Muffy thought to herself. "By what Griffin told me, he sounded really excited, but… oh, I hope…. I hope he isn't getting himself into trouble again." She thought to herself.

Suddenly, the door was punched open, revealing Nack in his new farmer's outfit.

"HELLLOOOO, BLUE BAR! YOUR SOON TO BE #1 CUSTOMER HAS ARRIVED!" he proclaimed with a hearty laugh.

The blonde barmaid was staring towards his direction in disbelief. Two tears formed from her water eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. Her sudden cheer from before seemed to magnify itself thousand full as she moved away from the counter.

"NACK!" Muffy squealed as she rushed the new farmer and threw herself into a twirling embrace at him.

"Finally, you're here! You know, I was worried I was going to die of boredom or something before finally seeing your pretty face again." Nack grinned.

There was a hint of surprise in Muffy's eyes as she saw just how much he wanted to see her. Again, she was nearly brought to tears, but the barmaid instinctively held them back.

"You still know how to flatter, I see." Muffy grinned. "Well, now that we're finally together like this, maybe I won't have to worry about you getting into some sort of danger."

Nack rubbed his head. "Well, I can't make any guarantees about that, but you can be sure I'll be able to give you a swinging time like the old days." He grinned.

The suave mobster then dipped Muffy and planted a kiss on her.

"Those two really are crazy for each other…" Griffin thought as he watched the scene play out before him.

"Hey, Old Man! Uh, Sorry for forgetting you over there." Nack's voice cried out.

"Oh, that's alright. I haven't seen that girl quite this happy in forever. You, uh… two want to be left alone for the moment?" Griffin said hesitantly.

"That's you're call, I guess. If I'm getting in the way in the business, then we won't mind holding of until---"

"No, no. Go ahead. I'll just hang out I the back while you enjoy yourselves." Griffin insisted as he headed to the back room.

"Wow. You got one generous manager looking out for you." Nack said to his girlfriend in amazement.

"Yeah, that's why we're good friends." Muffy said cheerfully.

"Well, it's nice to see they do a good job of taking care of you around these parts. You certainly seem healthier nowadays." Nack smiled back.

Muffy's smile dropped suddenly.

"Still, I would have proffered not to be separated from you like that." She shared in a serious tone.

Nack gently let go and took a few steps back.

"Huh, is that so?" Nack uttered curiously.

"For one thing, I'm worried that with all the ladies going about in the city, I thought you would've ran off with one of them." She confessed frankly.

"Who? Me? Are you kidding? And give up a gal as bright and easy on the eyes as you?" Nack exclaimed.

The stunned blonde was blushing in surprise.

"Uh, well… I'm not really all that smart. It's mostly common sense that kees this head on its shoulders, in my opinion " Muffy confessed bashfully.

"I don't know about that, but you're definitely smarter than the gal for those dating in my line of work!" Nack pointed out heartily.

"Ugh. Honestly, I don't think all key mobsters have some airy bimbo for a girl friend." Muffy replied in disbelief.

Nack lightly chuckled. "Right, sorry. I grew up watching too many of those old 60's flicks portraying my profession. I feel really funny falling for some of the stereotypes that come along with it." He admitted.

Muffy giggled. "Really. And you're supposed to be among the best, right?"

The relieved blonde turned her head slightly to the side.

"Were you… were you really serious when you told me how smart I am?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Of course!" Nack said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Anyone who knows just how to brighten somebody's day in a flash with little effort is a really sharp character in my book! So yeah, I'd have to say you're practically a professor."

The redness in Muffy's face intensified immensely.

"Nack… I…"

"Honestly, I appreciate your company. I'm surprised myself that you didn't go out and use that beauty and charm of yours to snag yourself a new guy while I was out of the picture! It does makes sense. I mean, you said yourself that you were concerned that I would be cheating on you, so it would've been fair payback." Nack replied.

"But… I didn't… I don't want to do that to you…" Muffy said with a shaky voice.

Nack gazed deeply into Muffy's bright emerald eyes and smiled.

"And that's why I like keeping you around, baby doll." He replied.

A very subtle hint of concern shone through in his eyes.

"_Although… it probably would've been in your best interest for you if you did decide to up and leave me…"_ he thought to himself.

While he was lost in thought, Muffy seized the opportunity to plant kiss of her own.

"Well now…" the blonde bartender grinned, "Since you're finally here, how about we get you filled up with a few drinks? The first one's on the house."

"Now you're speaking my language!" Nack cheered. "Make it your best, most expensive drink while you're at it! I've got plenty ready for the rest!"

"Got it. One Morning Mist, coming right up." Muffy replied happily.

"Hey, Old Man! You can come out, now! You got yourself a guitar, right? How about you play us some tunes to liven up the night?!" Nack called out.

Griffin entered the bar room in a huff.

"I'm not an "old man", and my name is Griffin. You got that, son?" he clarified angrily.

"Griffin, got it. But seriously, go on and strum up a song or two! This place needs some music to add some atmosphere!"

Griffin sighed. "It's not your place to order me around, but since you seem so eager to hear me, I'll go ahead and play a special something for the reunion of the lively couple here." He answered.

After saying that, the bartender started playing out fast-paced jazzy tone.

"One Morning Mist, ready to go!" Muffy shouted as she slid a full glass at Nack's direction.

The spirited man grasped the glass mug in perfect precision, and downed the entire pint in one sitting.

"Alright! Keep it coming! I got enough to last me all night long!" he shouted.

And so, Griffin continued to play through the night while Muffy mixed up the choice of drinks to keep Nack's taste buds guessing. Eventually, the hardy man got a little drunk and danced a few various dances with his lovely girlfriend.

Griffin adjusted his musical style appropriately as Nack went from a jig, to a tap dancing session, to a romantic tango, and even to swing dancing.

Eventually, all the moving around Nack did wore him out, as he ended up laying his head on Muffy's lap.

"Aww…. Maaaaan… this, THIS… is the best night evha! N-no! No! Of my entiah… en-TI-AH LIFE!!!! Life… y-YEAH!!! Sweet, sweet, sweeeeet life. I mean, I goh ma' sweet, sweet dollie doll on one hand tah tend me, then there's ahl those tasty, TASTEEEE drinkz filled wid sweet magihk on the otha hand, and finally… the mood-settin' music by "Old Man Griff". Oh, yeah! This…. Iz… PARADISE!!!!" he babbled in his drunken state.

Suddenly, a knock came from the door.

"Go on ahead and come on in. We're open right now." Griffin cried.

"Alright." A female voice called back.

The door slowly opened as the party of three watched onward.

Standing right outside was an extremely hostile young lady with red hair.

It was Nami.

At that moment, Nack immediately sobered up as he and Nami exchanged loathsome glares.

And in the sidelines of this violent grudge, Muffy found herself gazing at the vengeful Inspector in horror…


End file.
